Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

re:

by uglyradish

May. 10, 2011 9:48 am

It is sad when the US Courts cannot be convinced to do the right thing. Although one out of three judges wrote a very strong dissent the court still ruled 2 to 1 in favor of following the Nuclear Regulartory Commissions ruling allowing Uranium mining to procede on the Eastern Navajo Dine land. So, the Eastern Navajo Dine Against Uranium Mining (ENDAUM) and the New Mexico Environmental Law Center (NMELC) will be filing with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. http://nmenvirolaw.org/images/pdf/May_16_Press_Conference.pdf

Comments

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

by micahjr34

May. 12, 2011 6:35 pm

I find it sad how the life and land was taken away from the native Americans. I find this sad because this type of mining will eventually hurt the people who live near there in one way or another. Hold your head high, I would say to them.

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

by Hayduke Lives

Apr. 18, 2012 10:19 am

"Nice" to see the US policy toward indigenous people hasn't changed in the past 400 years. And the US Supreme Court is displaying the same consistency: profits before people! A human life is not worth much to a mining company. Sad, indeed!

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

by D_NATURED

Apr. 18, 2012 10:47 am

In fairness to the US government, I'm sure that they, had they known a valuable element existed on proposed indian land, would have just driven the indians into the Pacific ocean to drown.They thought the desert would do the trick, but those pesky red-skins refuse to succumb to genocide.

Maybe when their last piece of land is too polluted to occupy, we can finally declare victory over the savages.

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

by Choco

Apr. 18, 2012 10:58 am

I'm fairly positive this uranium will end up in one of GE's nuclear reactors. After most of the energy is spent from this ore, the toxic nuclear waste will be made into depleted uranium tipped bullets destined for the Middle East. GE Rotary Cannons will spray all sorts of hovels and hand carts killing many and leaving a toxic dust field that causes horrible birth defects. At least the Navajos are not suffering the irony of being shot at by depleted uranium tipped bullets mined from their own reservations . . . at least not yet.

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

Even progressive governments like Brazil's are evicting indigenous peoples in the name of development and exploitation of natural resources. Not only is this not justified but in the case of the Dineh especially egregious in that the US has had such a crappy energy policy for so long. We also have to be careful about how we approach solar development in the Southwest region in regard to indigenous people and environmental impact.

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

by .ren

Apr. 18, 2012 11:20 am

Most of us are these conquered peoples. Our traditions, our languages have been stolen, and we are colonized by a technology and its social methodologies that together are ultimately destructive to human life. It's time to awaken. Should have happened several centuries ago; should have happened several decades ago; should have happened now -- that's what the impoverished remnants, if there are any, will be saying in a few years.

re: Navajo vs. US... do we really believe in human rights?

Most of us are these conquered peoples. Our traditions, our languages have been stolen, and we are colonized by a technology and its social methodologies that together are ultimately destructive to human life. It's time to awaken. Should have happened several centuries ago; should have happened several decades ago; should have happened now -- that's what the impoverished remnants, if there are any, will be saying in a few years.

Every generation declares shame upon itself for the past but only changes the future when they are forced to. You're right though, that much of what we've done to "them" we've done to ourselves as well. There is no "us", except as a war chant.